Gas-generator



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

G. W. R. SEAL, OF VINCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

GAS-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20.897, dated July 13, 1858.

T o all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE IV. B'. SEAL, of IVinchester, in the county of Frederick and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for generating illuminating-gas from oils, fats, and other liquid'substances or substances that become liquid by heat or from wood; and I do hereby declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, said drawing representing a vertical section of the apparatus.

My invention relates to the use of a retort having two chambers, in one of which the substance from which the substance gas is to be generated is vaporized, and in the other of which the vapor is decomposed and converted into permanent gas by being conveyed through a packing' of cellular character to cause it to pass in contact with a very extensive area of heating surface.

My said invention consists in the employment in the secondary chamber of the retort, of an extra diaphragm, which supports a portion of the cellular packing, and which is movable to vary the depth of the cellular' packing to suit various materials that may be employed to make the gas.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, is the main retort or, as it may be con` sidered, the main chamber of the retort, of upright cylindrical form with a domeshaped top.

C is the mouth of the chamber A, at which it is charged when wood or solid material is employed to make the gas; and b, is a Siphon-pipe through which it is charged with wood oil or other liquid matter.

B, is the secondary chamber of the retort, of upright cylindrical form with a round bottom which connects with the top of the lower chamber by a large throat a.

D, is a perforated diaphragm of metal fitted to rest on the bottom of the chamber B, to support the lower stratum of cellular packing c, c.

E, is an upper perforated metal diaphragm, to support a portion c, c', of the cellular packing. This latter diaphragm fits to the cylindrical portion of the upper chamber B, of the retort, so as to be capable of moving freely up and down therein, and is attached to a rod cl, which passes through a stufing box c, in the movable cover f, of the retort, and is capable of being secured to hold the diaphragm E, at any elevation within the retort by means of a set screw g, in the cap of the stufHng-box.

It, is the main pipe from the chamber Z), of the retort to the gas-holder, passing first, when necessary, to a washer or purifier G. The retort is heated by a ire below it, with flues passing up it sides, so as to surround the upper chamber B, nearly to the top and ca use the lower part of the said chamber to be heated to a suiiiciently high temperature.

In generating` gas from wood and from some other substances, the vapor which is eliminated in the first retort requires to pass over a very extensive heating surface or be subjected to the action of heat for a considerable time before it is thoroughly decomposed, but the vapor from oils and fatty matters being more easily decomposed does not require to pass over so great a heating surface or kept so long heated. In operating on wood, the upper or secondary diaphragm E, is lowered on to the packing c, c, and the vapor from the chamber A, passes through the whole of the packing c, c, and c, c, as though it were one body and unseparated by the secondary diaphragm E, and in passing through this deep body of packing which is of good conducting material and heated by the flues surrounding the retort is thoroughly decomposed. But in operating on oils or fatty matters the rod d, is drawn up high enough to raise the secondary diaphragm with the packing c', c, upon it, above the pipe it, leaving only the portion of packing c, c, in the lower part of the chamber B, for the vapor to pass over, but still suficient to ef* fect its decomposition.

Dampers z', z', are provided in the fines to prevent the fire reaching the upper part of the retort when the diaphragm E is raised, as there is no necessity to heat the retort above the packing, which constitutes the greater portion of the heating surface. When these dampers z', z', close the flues which surround the chamber B, other ilues communicating with the chimney must be opened.

I do not claim the use of scraps of iron, to support a portion of the cellular' packing, or of pebbles or pieces of stone 1n a gas reand to be capable of being raised and low- 10 tort to form an extensive heatlng surface. ered Wlth Such portion of the packing, sub- But* Stantally as and for the purpose set forth. vWhat I claim as my invention and desire l GEORGE W. R. SEAL. to secure by Letters Patent, is l Witnesses:

The employment of a Secondary movable diaphragm applied Within the retort so as J. R. TUCKER, N. BENT. 

